Saturday May 3, 2025, Ricky Sirois

Themeless Saturday by Ricky Sirois

Ricky had a generous portion of proper names but they all succumbed to adequate help.

Across:

1. Shillelagh cousin: MACE - Shillelagh would knock me out of any spelling bee I would enter!

 

5. Hooey: GIBBERISH.

14. B in chemistry: BORON 😀 It can be found on the 25. Primo who wrote "The Periodic Table": LEVI ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Review of Levi's book that is only peripherally about chemistry 

15. Suddenly: ALL AT ONCE - 95% on Rotten Tomatoes

16. Elite: A LIST.

17. Gradually: PIECEMEAL.

18. Friction: STATIC - A great demo in my physics classes

20. Pose: ASK.

21. Locks in place?: PERM - Locks of hair will stay in place after a PERManent which, of course, is only temporary. 

22. Hidden assets: HOLE CARDS.

24. Only native of Great Britain to be named "Doctor of the Church": BEDE - Somehow I knew this. No, really!

26. Research Triangle city: DURHAM.

28. Moving violation?: FALSE START - Ya gotta wait for the gun!

32. Ovine mother: EWE.

33. Jason's ship: ARGO.

34. Thought-provoking: MEATY.

35. Surveyor's map: PLAT.

36. German article: DER.

37. Spitting image: CARBON COPY - Digital version 😀

39. Escalate: DEEPEN. 

41. Close: NEAR.

42. Color for a San Jose Shark: TEAL.

43. Card that opens doors for journalists: PRESS PASS - Everyone here can tell what Super Bowl required this pass for reporters.

48. Crust: CHAR.

49. Level with Space Cowboys and Storm Chasers: AAA - We've seen many baseball games in Omaha where the AAA Storm Chasers play. FWIW, real storm chasers around Omaha have been very busy this spring.

50. Patronize: SHOP AT.

51. Bloody Mary, e.g.: URBAN MYTH - Here ya go!

54. One-named singer who played Nettie in the 2023 remake of "The Color Purple": CIARA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

55. "See?": TOLD YOU SO.

56. Isaac of "Dune": OSCAR ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Isaac seems to be his surname.

57. Really good point: SWEET SPOT.

58. Rock band whose founding members adopted the names Gene and Dean: WEEN ¯\_(ツ)_/

Down:

1. Very, musically: MOLTO - Allegro Non Molto means lively but not too lively

2. Default font in Google Docs: ARIAL.

3. Elvis, for one: COSTELLO  - One too many blanks for the King

4. Beguiles: ENTICES.

5. __ year: GAP - Our daughter had a wealthy friend who took a GAP year to "find himself". Our daughters found themselves in the University of Nebraska.

6. Source material for "Troilus and Cressida": ILIAD - Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida" draws inspiration from Homer's "Iliad"for its setting, characters, and themes, but it also incorporates elements from Chaucer's "Troilus and Criseyde". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

7. Favor: BLESS.

8. Support: BACK.

9. Saison chaude: ETE - In France, the hot (chaude) season (saison) is summer (ETE)

10. One-piece garment: ROMPER.

11. Words admitting vulnerability: I NEED HELP.

12. Run off: SCARE AWAY.

13. Leadership position: HELM.

14. Pan: BASH.

19. Common character in "The Far Side": CAVEMAN.

23. Help for a choir that wants to sing higher: RISER 😀

24. Save: BUT - Not much is known of Little Richard's childhood SAVE that he was a music prodigy. This use of SAVE is a long way down the list in Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

26. Winter affliction, perhaps: DRYNESS.

27. "Have we __?": MET.

28. Unblockable shot: FREE THROW 😀

29. Pleasant: AGREEABLE.

30. Aid in learning to play guitar: TAB.

31. Compensate (for): ATONE.

33. Put in: ADD.

35. Sea creature that uses echolocation: PORPOISE.

37. "Scooby-Doo" souvenir, maybe: CEL - This original Hanna Barbera CEL can be yours for $5,250.

38. Income stream: CASH COW - Providing daycare services has become a CASH COW for many churches 

40. Show off: PARADE.

43. "Fork it over": PAY UP.

44. Dustin Hoffman role: RATSO - Dustin ad libbed this line from Midnight Cowboy on the spot.

45. Full steam ahead: APACE.

46. Glad rival: SARAN - Cling Wrap has completely replaced Saran Wrap at our house

47. Michelin award: STAR.

48. Stages of an audition process: CUTS - The same is true in athletics. Making CUTS is a hard thing to do.

49. Pioneering football coach __ Alonzo Stagg: AMOS.

52. "The 1619 Project" publisher, for short: NYT.

53. Sexy: HOT.

 

Sunday November 17, 2024 Ricky J. Sirois

Theme: "Cards on the Table" - Each theme answer starts with a card game.

22. Temptation for Hansel and Gretel: GINGER BREADHOUSE.

38. Place to take a long drive?: WARNING TRACK.

47. Highly suspenseful: HEART-STOPPING.

67. Song for Snow White: WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK.

85. Infield feature: PITCHER'S MOUND.

92. Role that earned Renée Zellweger her first Oscar nomination: BRIDGET JONES.

115. "Time to play!," and what could be said about 22-, 38-, 47-, 67-, 85-, and 92-Across: LET THE GAMES BEGIN.

Fresh take on the card game theme. I don't recall seeing this approach before.

I think this is our constructor. He's an accomplished Scrabble player.

Across:

1. More predictable: TAMER.

 6. Quite a few: MANY.

10. Extensions: LIMBS.

15. __ card: smartphone insert: SIM.

18. Atlanta university: EMORY.

19. Early Ron Howard role: OPIE. "The Andy Griffith Show".

20. Roast host: EMCEE.

21. Trillion, in computer storage: TERA. Mega, giga, tera.

25. Celebrated one: IDOL.

26. The 13 of PG-13: AGE.

27. Informal French pronoun: TOI. As to "vous".

28. Tweet: CHIRP.

29. Layered Italian dessert: SPUMONI. Layered gelato. With cherries and pistachios.

31. Hesitant: NOT SO SURE.

34. Tidy the garden: WEED.

36. Drive-in chain with carhops: SONIC.

37. En __: as a group: MASSE.

41. Farley of "Tommy Boy": CHRIS.

44. Wind up: COIL.

46. Airport destination: GATE.

52. Gallo Winery city: MODESTO.

57. "Dead Wake" author Larson: ERIK

58. Janelle of "Glass Onion": MONAE.

59. Otherwise: ELSE.

61. Singe: CHAR.

62. Voice artist Blanc: MEL.

63. "Whatcha __?": DOIN.

64. __ circus: FLEA.

65. Ornamental style: ROCOCO.

72. "I need grub!": FEED ME.

73. Maryland blue, e.g.: CRAB. This is huge.

74. Test-drive: SPIN.

75. "CrazySexyCool" R&B trio: TLC.

77. Even, in France: EGAL.

78. Headliner: STAR.

79. Very pale: ASHEN.

81. Spirit: BRIO.

82. Tattoos and such: BODY ART.

88. Half-moon tide: NEAP.

90. Citation abbr.: ET AL.

91. Longtime Celtics GM Danny: AINGE. Unfamiliar with this guy.

98. 64-Down tellers: LIARS. 64. Bit of baloney: FIB.

101. Eagle's nest: AERIE.

102. Irritable state: SNIT.

103. Reservation taker: CONCIERGE.

107. Name associated with two types of cups: STANLEY. The hockey cup and this type.

110. "Gesundheit" elicitor: ACHOO.

112. Beauty: GEM.

113. Amount to: ARE.

114. Donkey __: KONG.

119. Yale alumni: ELIS.

120. Sarge's superior: LOOIE.

121. Soul legend Redding: OTIS.

122. Congregational calls: AMENS.

123. Sixers for the Niners, briefly: TDS. I like this clue angle. And 78. 123-Across, e.g.: STAT.

124. Boutiques: SHOPS.

125. Tabloid fare: DIRT.

126. Like soapy hands: SUDSY.

Down:

1. __ and Sara: Canadian pop duo: TEGAN.

 

 

2. Buddy, in Bolivia: AMIGO.

3. "Rouen Cathedral" painter: MONET.

4. Energy unit: ERG.

5. Canapé option: RYE TOAST.

6. __ strip: mathematics model used in the NASCAR Hall of Fame design: MOBIUS.

7. Loan fig.: APR.

8. Nephew's sister: NIECE.

9. "Totes": YEAH.

10. Musical satirist Tom: LEHRER. "The Elements".

11. "Throw it to me!": I'M OPEN.

12. Superhero franchise initials: MCU. The Marvel Cinematic Universe.

13. First lady after Eleanor: BESS.

14. Move like water in a percolator: SEEP.

15. Arizona home of Cathedral Rock: SEDONA. Stunning view.

16. Unexpectedly apt: IRONIC.

17. Wendie of "Just Shoot Me!": MALICK. Sometimes we see MALEK (Rami).

21. Divided island of Southeast Asia: TIMOR.

23. "American Fiction" actress Tracee Ellis __: ROSS.

24. Hindu festival celebrated over five days: DIWALI. When I was a kid, Chinese New Year lasted at least 15 days. It's the only time I got new clothes.

30. Formal Spanish pronoun: USTED.

32. Smug look: SMIRK.

33. Meet up with old friends: RE-CONNECT.

35. Archaeological site: DIG.

38. Moist towelette: WIPE.

39. "__ your price": NAME.

40. Classic Pontiac: GTO.

41. Sci. class with a lab requirement: CHEM.

42. "Brace yourselves!": HERE WE GO.

43. End of the line, perhaps: RAILHEAD.

45. Joyful cry at a Greek wedding: OPA. Let's see if this video works.

48. Struck down, biblically: SMOTE.

49. Slog away: TOIL.

50. Tony winner Carter: NELL.

51. TV musical with 207 songs on the Billboard Hot 100: GLEE.

53. Danish shoe brand: ECCO.

54. Immediate future: SHORT RUN. Or a 3-mile trot to Renee. 

55. Taking on, as a challenge: TACKLING.

56. Spanish treasure: ORO.

60. Offers a greeting: SAYS HELLO.

63. Psych. handbook: DSM. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. 

65. Archaeological site: RUINS.

66. Possess: OWN.

68. Without thinking: IDLY.

69. Sandwich option: WRAP.

70. Mata __: HARI.

71. Pay phone abbr.: OPER.

72. Shortest mo.: FEB.

76. Program: CODE.

79. Goes for it: ACTS.

80. Doo-wop syllable: SHA.

81. Home of the NCAA's Broncos: BOISE. Boise State Broncos.

 

83. Nativity play role: ANGEL.

84. Food writer Drummond: REE.

86. Get a bite?: TEETHE. Fun clue.

87. Xylophone kin: MARIMBAS.

89. Comfy outfit: PJS.

92. Picnic container: BASKET.

93. Like stories of days gone by, often: RE-TOLD.

94. Tehran natives: IRANIS.

95. Small imperfections: DINGS.

96. Using inside info, perhaps: ON A TIP.

97. Cozy spots: NICHES.

99. Eat: INGEST.

100. Las Vegas WNBA team: ACES.

103. Animal also known as the hog-nosed raccoon: COATI.

104. Stormed: RAGED.

105. Sly expressions: GRINS.

106. Itty-bitty: EENSY.

108. What always ends well?: ELLS. The two letters.

109. Michelle of "Everything Everywhere All at Once": YEOH. Hokkien spelling of the Chinese name Yang. Hokkien is the largest Chinese dialect in Malaysia.

111. Psalm starter: O GOD.

116. As well: TOO.

117. Bygone space station: MIR.

118. Cassowary relative: EMU. We have ostriches in our local Como Zoo. 

In case you missed it, Husker Gary met with Inanehiker (Nina) and her friend Marla last Wednesday. I love seeing our blog regulars meet in real life. This picture made me so happy.

Nina, Gary and Marla